Confection coating apparatus



NOV- 6, 1956 F. A. LANDGRABER, SR

CONFECTIN COATING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 6, 1951 i* INVENTOR [ivd [all/@zweg J'z:

BY ww, f

ATTORNEYS NOV. 6, 1956 F. A. I ANDGRABER, SR 2,769,423

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Nov. 6, 1951 l INVENTOR /'M [Wwf/y/Wgfz:

ATTORNEYS www# Wl Nov. 6, 1956 F. A. LANDGRABER, SR 2,769,423

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR www@ ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1956 F. A. LANDGRABER, SR 2,759,423

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS' original Filed Nov. 6, 1951 7 sheets-sheet' ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1956 F. A. LANDGRABER, SR

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Nov. 6, 1951 INVENTOR Nov. 6, 1956 F. A. LANDGRABER, SR 2,769,423

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Noy. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 f i X,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS` United States Fatent O CONFECTION COATHNG APPARATUS Fred A. Landgraber, Sr., Port Newark, N. J., assignor to Drumstick, Inc., Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Original application November 6, 1951, Serial No. 255,115, now Patent No. 2,670,887, dated March 2, 1954. Divided and this application December 23, 1953, Serial No. 399,898

Claims. (Cl. 118-2) This invention relates to apparatus for making a finished ice cream confection, starting with a filled hard frozen ice cream cone in which the ice cream extends beyond the rim of the cone, usually in a convex mound of uniformly smooth contour. The finished confection comprises this cone with the projecting part of the filler enrobed with chocolate or other edible coating, which is preferably studded with comminuted nut meats or other edible granules. The term ice cream is used as an example of a number of equivalent frozen fillers.

This application is a division of my copending application S. N. 255,115, led November 6, 1951, now Patent No. 2,670,887.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide apparatus for making a frozen confection such as is above described, which is untouched by human hands throughout the extent of its manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which all parts with which the product or its ingredients come into contact are readily disassemblable so that they can be removed for thorough cleansing.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus including means for conveying baskets of lled cones successively, rst to an enrobing station, then to a nut-applying station at which nut fragments are thrown from a vibratory plate against the enrobed surface of the cones, the vibrating means being responsive to the presence of a basket at the enrobing station, being inactive when there is no basket present at said enrobing station, whereby the action of the vibratory plate is discontinuous, minimizing the tendency of the nuts to oil oi, which they do excessively under continuous impact, resulting in oily surfaces of the nut fragments with resultant adhesiveness of the nuts to the enrobed surface of the cones.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specication, and throughout the several iigures of which the same reference characters denote identical parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation viewed from the left in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the vibratory nut meat applicator;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a section taken along the line 8-3 of Figure 4;

ice

Figure 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken along the line 10 it) of Figure 9;

Figure l1 is a section taken along the line 11-11 of Figure 5; and

Figure l2 is a section taken along the line 12-12 of Figure 5.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the apparatus it may facilitate the understanding of the description to state at this point that the filled cones come to the apparatus in a known type of basket in which the cones are held head down; that the baskets slide on tracks which extend through the machine; that the movement of the baskets is step by step, first to an enrobing station at which the chocolate coating is applied, and then to the nut applying station; that the step by step movement of the baskets to the enrobing station and nut applying station is effected by an overlying rack bar having depending unidirectionally swinging pawls at proper intervals, which ride over a basket in the outward movement of the rack bar and engage the far side of the basket, drawing it inward upon the opposite stroke of the rack bar, the amplitude of reciprocation of this rack bar being such that it stops the baskets in precise positions at the enrobing and nut applying stations. Y Y

With this general outline of the arrangement of the apparatus, the detailed description is as follows:

The apparatus, which as a whole is designated by the numeral 20, comprises a portable frame 21, through which extends a rigid track 23 which can be removed from the frame 21 through the instrumentality of the Wing nuts 24 to permit the track to be taken out for cleaning.

he frame section 21 can be comprehended from Figure l and Figure 2. It consists of corner posts 25, having levelers 26 at the foot, upperV and lower longitudinals 27 and 23, and upper and lower end cross pieces 29 andY 30. The lower longitudinals are bridged by two pairs of spaced intermediate cross pieces 31 and 32, the pieces 31 supporting the motor 33 that operates the enrobing mechanism and the rack bar which brings the baskets to the enrobing and nut applying stations. The pair of cross pieces 32 support the motor 34, which operates the nut meat applying mechanism. At the outer end of the frame arises the inverted U-shaped member 35, having the crossV rail 36 that carries the spaced uprights 37 with holes at their upper ends, receiving the threaded studs which project from the angular tracks 23, secured to said uprights by wing nuts 24 screwing upon said studs (see Figure 2) At the middle of the upper longitudinals 27 and at the inner end of the frame section 21 rise the similar inverted U-shaped members 38, 39, and supported from the cross rails 4G and 41 of these members are the inverted U-shaped extensions 42 and 43, the sides of which are spaced narrowly enough to support the parallel tracks 23 with the aid of tubular spacers 44, (see Figure 5), through which `spacers the threaded studs on the back of the track extend. Other wing nuts 24 screw on these studs and secure the track to the sides of these extensions. All of the frame members are preferably made of tubular stock and preferably of stainless steel or other bright and polished metal which can be kept in immaculate sanitary condition.

The top rails 45 of the extensions 42 and v43 are at the same height and carry the hangers 46 which support and guide the reciprocating rack bar 47. Figure 8 shows.

a fragment of one of the top rails 45 an-d a section throughl one of the hangers. This member comprises an inverted channel shaped tting 4S secured to the undersideof the top rail, and having vertical adjusting slots 49 in itsv of the T depends, forming the stitening iin 56 of the rack bar. The upper `part of the rack bar .is a strip 54, having the rack teeth 55 and secured to the lower part 53,'as by the screws shown. Pawls 557Vare dependingly mounted on the tin y`S6Ybythe y'pivot pins '58. yFigure V1 shows that the pawls 'S7'ca`n'swing freely to the right, kbut lcannot l"swing leftward be'yond the positions shown in Figure `l, since they 'are Vstopped by 'contact of their upper left corners with'sthe vunderside ofthe top of the T-shaped portion 53-ftheraek`bar. i fTle basket 561, 'illustrated in VVFigure Yl has top wires 62ad63fat the front and rear ends ofthe basket which areo'f equal height. `There vare no transverse wires of the Tsame height between thefront and therear of the basket, 'nd'thefconesare Varranged in successive transverse paflIel-rowalsix cone'tsto a row, V

The racklbar 47 is Voperatedfrom a gear reductionfbox 6 7`fdriv'en by -thefmotor 33, which is supported by the ros'spieees 31, fan'd operates through geai reduction toottetlefou'tpt shaft 68 at `4 R. 5P. M. A crank wheel 69 is`ca1fn`ed by the shaft 68, and hasralcra'nkpin -70 that i prfes'thou'gh AVsuitableantifrictionbearings-in the 'slot 71 Vof'afcrds'shead 72, moving the latter up and down.

Y ing rods 103, which extend upward :and'ontwari .termi-V 47, `the amplitude of reciprocation of which .isas we have seen, the length of the basket.

The racks 74 are also the means Yfor operating the enrober. The latter comprise a deep rectangular pan 91 arranged symmetrically with respect to` a Vertical plane Y through the racks 74.V Sai-dpan is .for a working supplyl of molten chocolate or 'other enrobing mixture, The bottom 92 of said pan slopes cif wnwardlytromboth,sides,'v and also from back to front, as seen in Figuresl, `3 zandl, i

so asto drain to a single point at which there is a discharge spout 93 having a suitable closure. Beneath the pan, but forming part of the pan unit,'is1the 'heating Vchamber 94, which contains an electric -heaterV 95 yin proximity to the bottom of the pan, .controlled by a thermostat 96, which is against'the bottom of the pan and within the heating chamber, (see fFigure 3). The

pan unit is removable, since it has external feet 97 o n theV bottom wall -of the heating chamber, which v'rest upon adjacent upper cross pieces 29 and-31 ofetheframe, and

are fastened thereto by the bolts 98;

-Ashallow and-somewhat smaller constant llevelipan "99:

dips -intothe larger -pan to a depth below -theflevel'of chocolate 'in the larger pan, and therefore 4comes out eachftime brim Lfull. Y ltrhas `handles 169 projecting 'from opposite sides, saidhandlesftermina'tin'gvineyesl Said Y eyes are straddled'by the'bifu'rcated ends 1920i support'-,

' nating in'sockets 104, Vwhichsurronnd .'the fracl s17`4 and 'IhefcrossF-'head -7'2lis aflat transverse member, the'ends Y fwhiehfaeenlarged to`form sockets 73. Vertical parallel toothed-racks 74 are secured in said Vsockets at their lowerendsandreciprocate withthe cross heads. are guidedfnear the-lower-ends by the tubnlar'bracket 75 through 'which theyVV slide; and which extend inwardlyV fromtheup'per longitudinals -27 of-frame section 21, and

neartheir-upper ends theyare. guided by bushings 76 in iferticalV bores 77,5' formed in the heads 78,shown in detail The jheads 78^areeach-carriedby a pair of upwardly onyergent'rods 79, the-upper ends of which are screwed into Saidheads and `the divergent lower endsor" which are Y seeuredtooneof the upper end cross pieces V29 Vof the frameandi'theintermediate cross piece 31 which liesnext tot. I"'Pr'lehe'adsand supporting rods are spaced transver'selysubstantiallyithe'width of the frame. The heads aeidentic'al. YEach Yhas a gear recess '80, with an axial bea'm-gibre for a shaft'Sl, the bores of Vboth Vheads being in`hz'ont`al`a1ig'ment,there being a shaft extending thfoughaidibresihaving a gear'SZ in Veach'recess, said gears being in mesh with the respective racks 74, by means Vofwliich.the=tworacks move simultaneously, and in so moving they impart rotation to the shaft 81.

The heads 78 are/provided with cover plates V83 for the recesses T80, :giving access -for lubrication, etc. Above t Y the 'shaftSl isf a=brace bar v84, the ends of which tit into alignedskets V855cm confronting faces of the heads, said sockets'andl bar' having registering bores36 for taper'pins which crethe ba'r and' heads rigidly together, stiifening t-leipiigh't "structures'-'censtitted by Vsaidhea-ds and the supporting rods'79.

They

a"divided'casing87, through which the shaft VStpasses,

- racks 74 is magnified in the movement of the rack bar areadjustably secured `thereto'. fThe bifurcated'ends1.0iv the rods 103 Vand eyes 1&5 which are aligned with theV eyes `in the handles, and pins A166, Spass through isaid aligned'eyes,.removably securing'the pan 99 operatively to the racks 74. Y i

The small pan 99 therefore goes .up land down with the racks 74. When it goes down, .it fills with'chocolate from'therlarger pan'91. As it comes up, the basketof inverted'hardfrozen conesis approaching'alongthe track 23. As'the basket'gets over the Vpan 99, the latterin i the final -part of its rising movement, submerges 'the mounds of icecream protruding from-the cones 1inthe warmV enrobin'g mixture. As the f panl 99 'recedes and the basket1ofenrobed cones moves forward-towardthe @nut applying station, the low temperatureof theice cream starts to-quickly solidifythe coating, whic-h'is not quite solid lwhenit reaches the "nut applying station, l:but `is past-thev'dripping stage. Any'drip which mayoceur-as thebasketmoves fromfover the pan 99'irsfcaught on a iixedly supported; inclined baiile 67, which overhangs theY larger pan 91 and drains back to the largerpan. The Vpan99 has a-normally closed-drain spout '103.

Referring forv the moment. particularly to-Figure -l','it will be understood vthatsince the-racks V74 'commonly operatel rack bar 47 and theenrobing pan 99, itiell'ov/sV that when said pan begins to descend, 'the-Vvbasketwstarts,

to move forward toward the-nut applying jstatio'n, Vthe Y pan 'having reached a point below thelevel oftheconesV when the'first rowofV cones moves beyondtherfront end of the pan.V The congellation of the chocolate-coating has A'already progressed,` so that` there 'is' butlittledripin the region of the bae 107, `and by theftirrre the'vbasket reaches the'nut applying' station` thereis fno. drip, but

the enrobed` surface of the cone is suiciently tackyto cause the nut fragments Vto adhere. Y 1 Y VThe nut applying station is located between-tlietrans- Vverse -frame members v'38 and 39, 'and their extensions 42 and 43. A flat transverse `bar1'69, `Figures l, 4,*5

and '11, is` weldedlbetween thelowerlon'gitlidinals 23,`

andat its middle VYcarries the bushing 110.v 'A 'similar bushing `1I1is` bove'the'bushing 110, and in vertical alignment therewith, being supported by 4a bar .21.12

welded to the cross pieces 113 and`1514 which vexte'nd-:be--V tween -the upper longitudinals V27. Y i 1 A vertical catapult 115 is supported by said bushings.' It comprises a. reciprocable stem 116 guided within said bushings, having a head which embodies a diaphragm 117. l

A subframe 118 is built about the upper-portion of the stern of the catapult andV supports the peripheral edge ofthe diaphragm in a common horizontal plane. Said subfrarne is constructed of members of angle crosssection, comprising the legs 119 which arein vertical transverse planes but llare longitudinally, as shownrin Figure 5. The lower ends of said legs are welded to the upper longitudinals 27. The legs support a rectangular surround 120 of angular cross-section, the vertical anges of which is welded to the-legs, and the upper llange of which extends horizontal. All four sides of Vthe subfrarne are enclosed within a slieet metalrjacket 121, the top edge 122 of which is tlauged over the up'- per lange of the surround 'the nianner shown in Figure 5, and constitutes the' surface which directly contacts the peripheral margin of the diaphragm. On top of the diaphragm is 'a rectangular washer-like surround 123, the sides of which are flat, as shown at 124 in Figure 5, while the ends, that is, the transverse terminal portions, are bent upwardly to form short flanges 1,25, as seen-in Figure 4. A tunnel-like casing 126 is provided, that is, it has closed top and side walls, but is open at both ends, as shown at 127 in Figure 4. The side walls have outwardly turned ilanges 128,- which restupon the flat portions 124 of the surround 123. Bolts pass through Vthe superposed flanges of the members 120,121, the diaphragm, the anges 124 of the surround 123, and the flanges 128 of the jacket 126, clamping the peripheral margin of the diaphragm.

Referring now to the means for reciprocating the diaphragm, the motor 34, Figures l, 4, and ll,- through gearing represented by the numeral 129, operates a cam 130 mounted on the outer end of a shaft 131, journaled in bearings 132 mounted on a'base 133 which bridges the cross pieces 32 and is welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto. The cam operates against a roller 134, mounted on a pin 135 between the spaced sides 136 of a swinging arm 137, which is hingedly carried by a pintle 138,Y which Figure l1 indicates is welded to the adjacent cross piece 32. At the outer end of the swinging arm 137 a vertical arm 139 is pivoted at 140. 'Said vertical arm` also consists of spaced sides 141, as shown' in Figures 4 and l2, the upper ends of said sides being pivotally connected to'V trunnions 142 projecting from a cross head 143, which is bushed as at 144 in FigureA ll, and surrounds the stem 116 of the catapult, but is fixed to said stem by means such as the setscrew 145'.

A spring unit surrounds the stem 116 of the catapult, being shown in detail in Figure 10, consisting of la. platform 146 (see also Figure 9), having a boss 147 fixed to its upper side, said boss constituting lthe seat Afor the lower end of a rather power helical spring 143 which surrounds the stem. The upperend of the spring' is seated in a thrust washer 149. In the embodiment shown, the bushing and thrust washer are formed with interior helical grooves inw ich the respective ends of the spring are threaded, so that the spring and the platform at the bottom and thrust washer .at the top are a unitary structure. The stem 116 nas a threadedrzon'e 150 on which an adjusting nut 151"and alock nut 152 are screwed. Above theV threaded zoneV the st'emhas a reduced portion 153 which terminates in a threaded `end 154, onv which the nuts 15,5 are screwed, which retains between them the U-shaped lug 156 which forms a connection between the stem of the catapult and the diaphragm, as will appear. The platform 146 Yis bolted at opposite corners to the cross pieces 113 and 114 by the stud boltsr157. As a matter of convenience in disassembling, the'stud bolts pass through c-pen ended slots 158 in the platform, so that the latter can be partially rotated after the stud bolts 157V have been loosened,

thereby detaching the spring unit from the' framef The function of thercarapun is that of a visrater' to dash nut fragments or other granular material against the tacky surfaces of the enrobed cones., The upper face of the 'diaphragm acts as a table upon which the nut fragments rest, and from which they are thrown into the air to a height suiciently to contact the lsurface of the enrobing coating. The vibration must be in the nature of repeated impact blows.. This is Vaccomplished through the action of the cam 131) correlated with. that of the spring 148. The cam is rotated in the direction Vof the arrow. It has quite a long. throw representedby the difference between the line a and the line b. The swinging arm 137 is depressed .by the cam to the lowest point represented in Figure 5, drawing down the stem 116 of thecatapult against the tension of the spring 14S. After this point the height of the cam falls 4olf quite abruptly so that the spring 148 when released eX- pands with considerable suddenness, forcing the ycliaphragm upward, causing the nut fragments to be projected into the air. It is desirable to have the surfaces of all of the cones uniformly coated, and it is also highly desirable that the nut fragments shall not dy out at the open ends of the tunnel constituted by the casing 126. Consequently, the diaphragm 117 is given a predetermined shape, which by trial and error has been found to give the optimum direction of trajectory of the vibrated particles. The lug 156 is a rigid part of an elongated horizontal support 159, having down turned side llanges 161i and rounded down turned ends 161, the former being in the interest of rigidity and the latter presenting a rounded surface in contact-with the diaphragm when the latter is vibrated upwardly to minimize wear of the diaphragm. The support 159 is in contact with a plate 162, formed with a dihedral angle along its longitudinal center, said plate being longer than wide, so as to come closer to the closed sides of the casing than to the open ends thereof, the comparison being readily made by reference to Figures 4 and 5; A conformer 163 is provided in the form of a stiff rod or wire, which lies in the dihedral apex of the plate 162, the diaphragm intervening. The conforn`ier'163V has threaded Shanks 164 welded thereto, and which project/ through aligned holes in the plate-162 and support 159. VNuts on saidV shank press the conformer against the idiaphragm, and causethe latter to'conform tothe dihedral shape'of the plate`162, thus forming a dihedral depression in the diaphragm which comes close to the' closed sides and less close to the open sides of the casing 126.

Nut fragments or other granular material may be supplied to the catapult through the door 165 atthe top of the casing 126. Since the conveyor bar 69 intersects the opening closed by'said door, an invertedtrough-shaped guard 166 bridges said opening, overlyingY the path of movement of the conveyor bar and being secured to said casing. Nut fragments from the sloping portions of the diaphragm which constitute `the dihedral depression will be thrown in inclined trajectories in opposite directions. Nut fragments on the marginal portions surrounding the Vdihedral depression will be thrown more ne'arly verticalily, and since these outlying portions of the diaphragm are wider adjacent the open ends of the casing 126, the tendency of the nut fragments to be thrown Voutpa't the ends of the tunnel is minimized. Furthermore, whenthe basket with its complement Vof ice cream cones is within the casing 126, the open ends of the casing are for the most part occluded bythe presence of the cones; The upturned ends 167 of the conformer 163 prevent wearing contact of the ends of the conformer the' diaphragm. j j

It is a peculiarity of most nut meats or fragments of the same that ifV they are constantly beaten or jafr'ed they sweat oil, and ifthe surface Ais yoily thefadhereue of the nut fragments tothe chocolate coating is impaired, Consequently,V it will not do for the catapult to work continuously,but only intermittently, andl for such short periods as Vare essential to eifect'the proper deus'ity'of ofV the mechanism "of the same. Said actuating arm ex- Y tends over the -track 23 in position to be :strucrkrby` the .front corner of thev basket. finto'position at the nut applying stationiwhen this engage- Yment takes place, the arm'169will nbe swung laterally,

'starting the timer bythe time they basket Yis in place at saidV station. The motor circuit is closed simultaneously YwithY Vthe starting of the timer, and the periodduring which Ythe nuts are applied is determined by the interval for -which the timer is set. 1 This'interval generally continues the basket has begun to travel toward the bagging -station so that the actuating arm 169 will still be in deected position when the rear corner of the basket passes it, and will not be Yaffected bythe passing of said rear corner. Y l v'Ihe set screw 145 which secures the operating means to the stem 116 of the catapult constitutes an adjustment which determines `the amplitude of theV reciprocation of the catapult, and therefore determines the force as well :as'the height'to which the nut Vfragments will be thrown .by said catapult.

' The upward movement of the catapult is not restrained vby the cam 130. When the roller 134 falls abruptly from the long axis of the nose of the cam, -tbe spring148 which -is unitary. with the platform 146 and with the front'washer `149, -is ree to suddenly expand to its full repose length .Since the basket is moving Y Ysive coatings of edible material to ya iirozenirconfection which consists of an ice cream cone iillel with hard frozen Y mix which protrudes beyond the cone, the protruding part`v Ybeing enrobed with a coating having edible granules dispersed thereupon and adhering thereto,said apparatus said frame and supported thereby, a basket slidableion 1 said track, said basket being ofthe known type that sus- Y pends inverted ice cream cones in -a plurality of transf verse rows by releasable impalingrmeans individual to i f 8V Y said supply pan so that it emerges brim fuILandWhich on the other hand submerges the protruding fillings ofsaid Y Vinverted cones in the lennrobing liquid insaid enrobing pan, jthe means whichlreciprocates said en'robing'pan being operatively connected to said rack harto operate the latter-insuch phase of synchronization that the basket Yis moved to the enrobingstation'as the enrobing pan rises and away from said enrobing station as the enrobing pan descends. Y

2. Confection coating apparatus for'applying `succes- Y comprising a frame, a track extending lengthwise through the rowsmeanssupportedby said frame andsequentialand a little more, due to its inertia, -this being the measure of theY upward movement ofY the diaphragm. The Vforce of the spring is transmitted through the adjusting nut 151 with which'the thrust washer 149 is'already infcontact, so

' -vthat the push is a little less than -a true impact blow. The

nut 151 adjusts the compression of the spring 148, and

auxiliary or alternative to lthe adjustable cross head 143,

Vit is` aV means for determining the ylimit ofupward movement of the diaphragm. Y

While I haveV in. the aboveinvention disclosed what I Y believe to bea preferred and practicalfembodiment of theV inventive concept, 'it' will be understood by those skilled j jin 'theart'that' the specific construction -and arrangement Vof parts, as shownyare by way ofV example and not to be construed `as limiting the scope of the invention.

,What I claim is: Y.

1. Confection coatingapparatus for Aapplying successive coatings of ,ediblema'terial toa frozen confection Which protiudes beyond Vthe cone, the protruding part being enrobed with a coating and-having edible granules Y dispersed thereupon and adhering thereto, said apparatus) lcomprising a frame, Va track extending through said frame, 'Y t a basket slidable on 'said track,v said basket being'of Ythe Y Vknown type that suspends 'inverted' icecream conesin ar plurality of transverse crows by Vreleasable Yimpaling meansV individualto the'rows, means supported by said frame1 Vand sequentially arranged to define Yan enrobing station -and'a granule applying station, conveyor means'for mov,-

Ying said ,basket irst to aV position at said enrobing station ,said conveyormeans comprising'a rack bar inY afplane above said track and parallel thereto, hangers inV which said rack bar is Vslidabrly guided,A a `series Vof individual ments ofysaid rackbar,Y a supply pan for enrobing liquid 1y arranged to dei-lne an enrobing station and a granule applying station, conveyor means for moving said basket first toa position at said enrobing station -then topa posi- -tionat said granule applying station, said conveyor means .Y comprising a rack bar in a plane above saidtrackVV and Y parallel thereto,vhangers in which said rack bar is slidably'guided, a series of unidirectional pawls depending from said rack bar, lsaid pawls being adapted to rideV over an end of said basket upon retrograde movement of said rack bar and to successively engage an end of said basket uponV successive `advance movements of said rack bar, a shaft extending'across said frame journaled in bearings insaid frame and having gears at its Vends, anda gear 'at an intermediate point meshing withV theteeth of said rack bar,xa motor, a crank driven by vsaid motor in# cluding a'crank pin, a cross head verticallyrecipn'ocable in avrtransverse Vplanehavinga transverseV slot in which said crank pin plays, toothedrracks extending vertically Y Vfrom'the Vends of Vsaid cros's'head, guides on said frame through Vwhich Vsaid racks reciprocably slide,said racks being in mesh with the gears on` the ends Vof .saidY shaft, a

supply pan for enrobing liquid Vat said enrobinggsta'tion, y a'smaller enrobing pan above said supply pan and be-V f neath a basket of inverted cones when saidrbasket is' at said enrobing station, means for connecting said enrobingV Y pan to said toothed racks for reciprocating said enrobing Y pan, said supplypan, basket and enrobing pan beingiat such distances apart that the range of movement imparted to said enrobing pan by saidY toothed racks, on the one -hand submerges said Venrobing pan` beneathY the liquid level in said supplyrpan so that it emerges full,l and you the otherfhand, submerges Yther-protruding'Vlillings of Vthe inverted cones the enrobing liquidin *saidV enrobing y Y pan, the movements, ofsaidrack bar and said lenrobing n Y pan being so synchronized thatthe basketis moved `to said enrobing station as theenr'obing panrises and is Y V,and then to a position at saidV granule applying station,V .f Y Y `mix which protrudes beyond the cone, the protruding-part V being enrobedwithV aV coating Vand having edible granules Y dispersed -thereupon'and adhering thereto, said apparatusVV movedprawayV from pan descends. Y

3. .Confection coating'iapparatusfor'applying sluc'ees-A l' Y Y sive coatings of edible material to -a frozen confection e Y which consistsof an icecreamV cone filled Vwith .frozenY r:comprising a frame, aY track extending longitudinally Yat'slaid Yenrobing jstatiron,YV asmaller Yenrobing" pan above i Asaid snpplypan and Vbeneath'a -basket'rofV invertedV cones y Y VYWhenarit Yisfat said enrobing station,Y means YforV vertically `reciprocating said enrobing pan throughiaf range Vwhich Y through said frame supported thereby, a' basket :slidable` means supported by saidframe and sequentially arranged,

to denne an enrobing s'tation,andV a granule applying station, conveyor means for advancing abasket alongsaidj "Ytrack from a position atsaidenrobing, station to; aeposi 'said .enrobing station as said' elvirobingV 9 tion at said granule applying station, a supply pan at said enrobing station for enrobing liquid, a smaller enrobing pan between said supply pan and track, means vfor reciproeating said enrobing pan through a range of movement y that submerges it below the liquid level in said supply pan on the down stroke so that it comes out brim full, and submerges the protruding llings of the inverted cones in said basket in the liquid in said enrobing pan on the up stroke, a drip, baiiie at the side of said supply pan a'djacent said granule applying station, inclined toward said supply pan to drain liquid back thereto, a casing forming a tunnel at said granule applying station through which said track extends, a vertically reciprocable catapult beneath said track comprising a diaphragm for supporting edible granules, a vertically guided stem secured -to the under side of said diaphragm, spring means for urging said diaphragm upwardly, a motor, a cam driven by said motor operatively connected -to said stem for alternately and repeatedly compressing and releasing the spring means, whereby granules are dashed upon the enrobed coatings of the inverted cones when the basket is at said granule applying station.

4. Confection coating apparatus for applying successive coatings of edible material to a frozen confection of the type consisting of an ice cream cone lled with hard frozen mix which protrudes beyond the cone, the protruding part being enrobed with la coating having edible granules dispersed thereupon and adhering thereto, said apparatus including a frame, and in juxtaposition upon said frame, means for enrobing the protruding fillings of such cones and means for applying edible granules to said enrobed llings, a track extending through said frame `over said enrobing means and granule applying means, a basket slidable on said track, said basket being of `the cone type which suspends the lled cones in inverted position in rows from its bottom, means for moving a basket of cones from a position above said enrobing means to a position over said granule applying means, stopping it in each position to effect the enrobing -and granule application, said granule applying means including frame members beneath said track defining a surround in a hor-izontal plane bounding an area at least as large as said basket, a flexible diaphragm overlying :said surround having its peripheral edge secured to said surround, the upper face of said diaphragm being -a receptor for granules, a stem secured to the under side of said diaphragm for exing it, guides in which said stem is vertically reciprocable, a spring surrounding said stem and upwardly bearing against an abutment on said stem to resiliently bias said diaphragm upwardly, a motor, a cam rotated by said motor, said cam having a long throw followed by an abrupt descent, an arm pivoted to said frame at one end and at the other connected to said stem, said arm having means engaged by said cam for oscillating said arm to alternately compress and release said spring for dashing granules against the enrobed surface of said cones through the release pressure of said spring.

5. Apparatus for applying edible granules to the enrobed surfaces of confections, comprising in combination with a carrier which presents the tacky enrobed surfaces of confections in a downward direction, an upwardly facing diaphragm beneath said enrobed surfaces, spaced therefrom, and adapted to support nut fragments or the like on said diaphragm, vertically reciprocable supporting means for said diaphragm, a spring beneath said diaphragm bearing against said supporting means and resiliently biasing said supporting means and diaphragm upwardly to rapidly lift said diaphragm vertically when said spring is released from a compressed condition and cause said diaphragm to throw said nut fragments against said enrobed surfaces, and means for repetitively compressing and releasing said spring. Y

6. Apparatus for applying edible granules to the `enrobed surfaces ofpconfections comprising in'combination with a track, a carrier presenting the tacky enrobed sur-v 10 faces of confections in a downward direction, slidable n said track to a nut applying station, means forming an open ended tunnel overlying said track at said station; an upwardly facing diaphragm beneath said, enrobed stirfaces, spaced therefrom, adapted to support nut frag;- ments or the like on the upwardly facing surface thereof, vertically reciprocable supporting means for vsaid diaphragm, a spring beneath said diaphragm bearing against said supporting means andresiliently biasing said supporting means and diaphragm upwardly to rapidly lift said diaphragm vertically when said spring is released from a compressed condition and cause said diaphragm to throw said nut fragments against said enrobed surfaces,`

and means for repetitively compressing and releasing said spring.

7. Apparatus for applying edible granules to the enrobing surfaces of confections, as claimed in claim 6, said apparatus including a motor for operating said spring compressing means and a timer switch for controlling the motor circuit, normally keeping it open, said timer switch having an actuating arm in the path of said carrier to be contacted thereby as the carrier reaches said nut applying station to close the motor circuit, said timer determining definite periods of vibration of said diaphragm.

8. Apparatus for applying edible granules to the enrobed surfaces of confections comprising in combination with a carrier presenting the tacky enrobed surfaces of confections in a downward direction, an upward facing diaphragm beneath said enrobed surfaces, spaced therefrom, having its peripheral margin xed in a common plane and having a central downwardly deected portion of xed shape, having a wide V-shaped cross-section, and having a free exible portion extending about said diaphragm between said central portion and the peripheral margin, the upper face of said diaphragm being adapted to hold nut fragments or the like, the shape of said diaphragm confining the trajectories of said nut fragments substantially to the area occupied by said enrobed surfaces and controlling the uniform distribution of said nut fragments, and means intercoupled with the underside of said diaphragm for actuating said diaphragm periodically in a manner to cause said diaphragm to throw nut fragments thereon against-said enrobed surface.

9. In apparatus for applying edible granules to the enrobing surfaces of confections as claimed in claim 8, said diaphragm actuating means including a dihedral plate contacting the underside of the central portion of the diaphragm for determining its shape, and a rod-like conformer on the upper face of said diaphragm registering with the apex of said dihedral plate and secured to said plate through said diaphragm, for fixing the shape of said central portion, the thrust of said means for actuating the diaphragm being transmitted to said dihedral plate.

10. In apparatus for applying edible granules to the enrobed surfaces of confections, in combination with a carrier which holds the confections with the tacky enrobed surfaces in a downward direction, a frame beneath said carrier defining a surround in a horizontal plane bounding an area at least as large as that which embraces said enrobed surfaces, a iiexible diaphragm overlying said surround having its peripheral margin iixed with respect to said surround, means for maintaining a rigid central depression inthe upper face of said diaphragm, that portion of said diaphragm between said depression and margin being exible, the upper face of said diaphragm being a receptor for nut granules, a stem secured to the underside of said diaphragm for vibrating it, guides in which said stem is vertically reciprocable, a spring unit including a spring, a platform to which the bottom of said spring is attached, and a thrust washer attached to the top of said spring, said stem passing through said spring and through apertures in said platform and Washer and having abutment means bearing downwardly upon said washer, said spring unit being frame supported with said washer .thrusting against said abutment on said stern, a motor, a

cam rotated by said motor, said cam having a low throw Y :followed by an abrupt descent,v an'arm pivoted to said frame atone end and at the other connected to said stem, '.said arm having means engaged by said cam for oscillating said arm and thereby reciprocating saidlstem to cause said; abutment to alternately compress Vand release said spring whereby said spring imparts a sudden upward jerk to said diaphragm when released for dashing granules 12 against the enrobed surface of said cones through the release pressure'of said spring. l q l l *Y -f i nefagncesrcjfed'rin me faitv of misiiaffeat) f -UNrTnQ- STATES PATENTS.. 'l

t 2,266,635 Hagerty 7 Dec. 16; "1941 2,666,410 Bundy fJaIl. 19, 1954 A2,670,887 Landgraber Mar. 2,-71'954 

